The Family Secret is a fantastic cosy mystery with some wonderful historical detail. I’ve always been a huge fan of books set in WW2 and the author does a great job of evoking the atmosphere of that period. I felt transported back to that time with the vivid descriptions helping the reader to picture the era in their mind.

The main characters are all strong females which is always a hit with me and I enjoyed reading about them. They were very clever, together woman who fought against the sexism that existed at that time in order to break out of the more traditional roles woman usually took. They were all extremely likeable characters that I felt completely supportive of and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them.

The story is very gripping and well plotted with the story unfolding at a great pace . It read a bit like a classic murder story and I liked that it managed to keep me guessing until the end. This is the second book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone it is probably best to read them in order as I think you will understand more about the characters.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to HQ Digital for my copy of this book via Netgalley which I received in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series, I haven’t read the first book but the story recaps enough to make sense of the characters so I don’t think it’s essential, although the story is well written, I felt it was lacking something and the characters didn’t really engage with me and the plot was easily worked out. I enjoyed her other series better (the Sarah Bennett mysteries)

Terry Lynn Thomas is a writer I didn’t know anything about before I started reading The Family Secret, but after devouring this absorbing and intriguing historical mystery, I have certainly added this talented writer to my list of favourite authors.

In 1940, England is in the grip of another war that shows absolutely no signs of abating. Mothers, daughters and wives have sent their menfolk off to do their duty for king and country and to fight for their future. But it is not merely on the battlefield that the effects of war can be felt. With bombs falling at an alarming rate, houses, shops and buildings are destroyed in one fell swoop and lives are in jeopardy and threatened every single minute. In London, Cat Carlisle is not impervious to danger and indeed when, after a sudden disappearance, Thomas Charles reappears with a suggestion that she leaves London behind and heads back to her hometown in Cumberland, Cat finds herself acquiescing and leaving the capital. However, little does she realise that she is about to become embroiled in tangled and dangerous web of deceit, lies…and death.

When she discovers that her childhood friend Beth Hargreaves is accused of murder, Cat is determined to do whatever it takes to prove her innocence. As she begins to dig deep and investigate this perplexing mystery, she uncovers a shocking and twisted scheme that involves the entire village that puts Cat’s life in danger. An enemy with everything to lose is determined to keep Cat from discovering the truth and they will go to any lengths to silence her – even murder. But they hadn’t counted on Cat Carlisle…

Will Cat manage to exonerate her friend and find the real culprit? Or will she end up paying the ultimate price in her quest to uncover the truth?

The Family Secret is a beguiling, evocative and beautifully written mystery rich in atmosphere, intrigue and suspense. Terry Lynn Thomas is a wonderful writer who brings the past to colourful and vivid life and plunges the reader into a dangerous world that will keep them engrossed from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Cat Carlisle and admired her intelligence, inquisitive mind and determination to bring criminals to justice.

A stylish, suspenseful and meticulously researched novel full of outstanding period detail and nail-biting mystery, The Family Secret is a fabulous tale I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was a bit difficult to figure the characters and their relationships as I'd not read the first book in the series.

Cat Carlisle has returned to her hometown in 1940's England to escape the bombing of London. There she finds that her best friend from childhood is suspected in a murder investigation. As she works on clearing her friend she finds that the entire village is involved in a cover-up.

An absorbing historical thriller!

The Family Secret is a cosy, historical mystery set during WWII - one of my favourite eras to read about, especially in fiction. So, it should come as no surprise that I thoroughly lapped up every page of this book.The heroine, Cat Carlisle is a strong-minded redhead with a warm and caring streak. But, never think that Cat will lurk on the sidelines when there's a mystery to be solved or when a friend is highlighted as a suspect.When a former friend and colleague, Thomas Charles, asks her to move back to her hometown to help him with his next book - and, of course, to escape the bombings that are expected in London - she does so for two reasons. Firstly, she is looking forward to being around Thomas again (to whom she seems scared to confess her feelings), but also because Annie (her ward) is scared of bombs and air raid sirens.What Cat doesn't know is that Thomas is going there for reasons other than his next book. His real job is to investigate a murder. He can't tell Cat about this though, because she'll want to get get involved - and that could really mess things up. Cat is known for digging a little too deeply and for causing all sorts of drama - even when she thinks she has done an altogether amazing job!But, as I mentioned, Cat Carlisle is not going to take a back seat for anyone or anything. There may be trouble ahead!As the stakes intensify, other characters come into their own, bringing tension, drama, a touch of unrequited love, a lot of envy and plenty of vengeful desires. The twists and turns are plentiful, and the opposing viewpoints always keeps the mystery at the forefront.The Family Secret is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series, and despite not having read book one, this was an easy-to-follow story with enough information about the past to keep the reader up to speed in Cat's lifestory and, more importantly, her past behaviour and its impact.I'd definitely read more by this author in future, whether from this series or others.

This is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series. I haven’t read the first book and I have to admit, I do think I would have understood the characters and their back stories better if I had read it first. The book begins in June 1940. Thomas Charles has returned home to London at the beginning of the wartime blitz. He suggests to Cat Carlisle that she returns to her home town in Cumberland, safe from the bombs in London. When she does return home, she finds her childhood friend, Beth is suspected of murder and set about trying to prove her innocence.

Due to not knowing the previous storyline, I was initially confused over Thomas and Cat’s relationship. There are a lot of characters in the book and it did take a while to get used to who everyone was. However, once I had gotten past those first few chapters, I settled into the story and began to enjoy it. The scene was set perfectly in London and little details such as moving the statue of Eros for safety and the plywood up against the windows protecting them made the story all the more realistic. I’m sure at one point I could smell the burning from the fires as I was walking through the bombed out streets.

I did really enjoy the part of the story when Cat returns home and finds her friend accused of the murder of a local woman. The investigation that Cat begins into her friend's involvement in this death was great and I really loved how this had been written. When Thomas also begins looking into the woman’s death, the mystery and intrigue turns up a notch and I began to become really involved with the tension of it all. The book was filled with lots of twists and turns and together with the wartime setting, the story became more of a classic spy thriller than just a murder-mystery.

It was a really enjoyable read which was well researched with a great historical plot. The story kept me gripped and I loved the feeling that I was reading what felt like a classic who-dunnit! I will definitely need to go back though and read the first book in the series, so I can catch up on the back stories of all the characters and I will certainly be keeping my eyes open for the next book in the series to continue Thomas and Cat’s story!

London. World War 2. A little detective work. All the ingredients for a great read in the historical fiction genre.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review.

Historical fiction based in World War 2. Small town challenges and intrigue. Looking forward to more books by this author.

Terry Lynn Thomas is an author who captures your interest immediately and makes you want to keep reading until the end.
Set during the second world war Thomas Charles is working undercover as a writer and Cat Carlisle is the illustrator for his books. But secretly he is carrying out some detective work and much to his disapproval Cat does a bit of sleuthing herself which usually draws unwanted attention
A cosy mystery for a lazy Sunday.

The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas is a very British mystery set during WWII. When Win, a cryptologist from the Great War, is murdered, Thomas is sent to the small town to recover from a wound. His real purpose there is to work with the local investigators to learn if Win's murder had anything to do with her work during the first war. Catherine also goes presumably to get out of London with her ward and remain safe during the bombings. What Tomas and Cat find is a solicitor who is suspected of cheating his clients, a second murder, two young women who get themselves in all sorts of trouble investigating on their own, and Win's son who uses people to support his life style. Unraveling all the sordid details is an interesting read -- especially if you are fond of British stories.

(The review was submitted to Amazon and Barned & Nobles web sites.)

Maybe I should have read the first book in the Cat Carlisle series first. I was a bit lost in the first few chapters even though there was a lot of background information, just too many characters to catch up with. I did get into the story and quite enjoyed it. It painted a realistic picture of life in London and the evacuees at the beginning of the war, however, I never really got to understand Cat’s character, or exactly what Thomas’s role was.
Thank you to HQ Digital and to Netgalley for my complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read! 5***

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas is Historical Fiction full of mystery, suspense and thrills. Everyone has secrets to keep. This book is full of action, twists and turns. on every page. I felt a little lost at times with all the characters, but perhaps that is just me. The characters seemed very realistic in their time period. I found this book entertaining and well worth reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley.. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.

This is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I would suggest reading the first, if only to get to know more about the main character of the books, and what makes her tick.

I felt as if there was less focus on Cat this time, which is what made The Silent Woman such a strong read. The taking hold of her life and becoming the woman she is supposed to be, despite all of the obstacles in her way. I felt that element of Cat was missing in this story.

The cosy mystery element of the series played more of a significant role this time, perhaps to the detriment of any possible secret squirrel activities ordered by Sir Reginald and delivered by Thomas.

When the narrative switches from Thomas to Phillip I had to go back and check I was still reading the same book, because the secondary characters play just as strong a part in this story I wasn’t sure if it was still the same one.

The impending war, the fear and the changes due to the impact of this threat play a secondary role. It plays along silently in the background, as lives go on in semi-normality. People still commit crimes, fall in love, betray each other and try to carry on as if life as they know it isn’t changing forever as they go about their business.

On a side note in regards to Phillip – does a leopard change his spots? Extra strong bleach perhaps?

It’s a cosy mystery series that sometimes veers into the spy genre with plenty of memorable characters. It has a comfortable feeling to it, a pleasant read with a family secrets, snide characters and people determined to find the truth.

An engaging and entertaining historical mystery.
I liked the well researched historical background and the cast of characters, including the one I detested like Philip.
The female characters are strong and relatable, very modern and clever.
The mystery was good, with a taste of Golden Age era, and it's full of twists and turns.
It was a very good read and, even if it's the second book in series, it can be read as a stand-alone.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are mine.

When Thomas Charles returns to Cat Carlisle’s life after months without contact, Cat thinks that it is because he needs her help with a book that he plans to write. When he asks her to accompany him to Rivenby, a small town just outside of London, she assumes that it is a complete coincidence that this is actually her childhood village. What she doesn’t realize is that Thomas has been recruited to oversee an investigation into the murder of a local woman, Win Billings. Once Cat arrives, the mystery begins to unfold before her. Not only has her childhood best friend been accused of murdering Win but someone else approaches Cat with the possibility of another suspect. Before they know it, both Thomas and Cat are investigating the same murder and things really begin to spiral out of control.

It's been a while since I’ve read a classic whodunit, especially one that is set in 1940. I was pleasantly surprised by the building of suspense between the characters in “The Family Secret” by Terry Lynn Thomas. With every new introduction of a character, I looked for clues as to who could have been the one to kill Win Billings- believe me the list is long. I was also taken by surprise as to the additional twist in the story so early on. Eagerly, I kept reading looking for more clues.

The setting for this story was masterfully told in such a way that it seemed as if the village of Rivenby was appearing before me. The historical context that was given regarding the impending German attack was interesting to me as many novels written during this time focus solely on bringing up facts about the war as frequently as they can. But, that wasn’t the case with this novel; Terry Lynn Thomas told the story of Cat and Thomas while adding bits and pieces of information about what was going on with the war. I loved the way that the author incorporated phrases, cars, clothes and other pieces that were specific to that era.

I also would like to point out that the author did a subperb job of creating the town scoundrel, Phillip Billings. I detested him and dreaded when his character would be discussed or the chapter would be told focused on him. It takes skill to create a character that is so easily detested.

The only problem that I ran in to was that I wish I had read “The Silent Woman”, which is the first Cat Carlisle novel by Terry Lynn Thomas. I think that I likely missed out on the character development of Cat and Thomas. The first page really hit the ground running and left me thinking “wait, what? I need to know more about these two.” Fear not, I plan on picking up a copy of that novel tomorrow!

Thank you to Terry Lynn Thomas, Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of “The Family Secret”.

The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas is a fabulous historical thriller set in 1940. It is a time of suspicion and mistrust, of spies and agents, of greed and power.
The backdrop to the action is Cumbria. The peaceful village location contrasts with the thrilling action.
When money and power dominate, people are corrupted. “Never underestimate the corruptive power of money.” Pound signs mean little else can be seen. People will do just about anything to achieve their monetary goal.
Teens on the brink of adulthood feature. It is a tense time as young girls try to break into the grown up world.
The females are the dominant characters in the book. On the whole they have the brains and strength of character to do the right thing. There are some very modern women trying to break out of their traditional roles.
Amateur sleuthing is the order of the day. The rumour mill means a small village hides no secrets – or does it?
The Family Secret was a fabulous and gripping novel that gave the reader a glimpse into a bygone age as well as entertaining them with crimes to be solved.
A fantastic read set against the backdrop of war.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

From the publisher: “After a sudden unexplained disappearance, Thomas Charles comes back into Cat Carlisle’s life with the suggestion she leave London – and the threat of bombs – to move to back her childhood village in Cumberland.
Back in her hometown Cat discovers her childhood friend, Beth Hargreaves, is suspected of murder. As Cat tries to prove Beth’s innocence, she discovers a scheme of deception that affects the whole village. Can she uncover the family truths behind the murder and expose the enemy hiding in plain sight?”

I haven’t read the first book in the series, The Silent Woman, but the author provides enough references to past events that it isn’t hard to catch up.
I enjoyed the book overall and would classify it a cozy mystery: the kind of book to read on a rainy day with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.
The main characters, Cat, Thomas, Carmona, and Edythe, are well-written, and I could visualize the small town where the story is set. However, some of the supporting characters lack punch, and Phillip is so cliché, which is the point, I know, but it did cause a few eye-rolls.
Overall, I liked the book and would recommend it to someone on the search for a mystery without a lot of gore but with lots of small town and family drama. 3.5 stars

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was set in the 1940's during World War 11 in a small town. This was a perfect dark night read and once I started could not put it down.